Speed

Thomas "Tommy" Shepherd, known as the speedster Speed, is the reincarnated son of the Scarlet Witch and the Vision, and the twin brother of Billy Kaplan (Wiccan). Born from Wanda's chaos magic and fragments of Mephisto's soul, Tommy and Billy were originally lost when Mephisto reabsorbed them, but their souls were saved and sent back in time to be reborn to different families. Raised in Springfield, New Jersey, Tommy had a troubled youth, frequently in and out of juvenile detention centers. After accidentally vaporizing his high school with his developing powers, he was imprisoned in a high-security facility where he was experimented on until the Young Avengers rescued him. Upon his release, his resemblance to Billy confirmed their connection, and he joined the team, adopting the codename Speed.

As a Young Avenger, Tommy fought in major conflicts like the Civil War, the Secret Invasion, and the Siege of Asgard. He played a pivotal role in the Children's Crusade, where the team finally located the Scarlet Witch, restored her memories, and confirmed that he and Billy were indeed her reincarnated sons. Following the team's disbandment, Tommy briefly worked assembling electronic components at superhuman speed and befriended David Alleyne (Prodigy). During an encounter with a mysterious entity, Tommy was absorbed and later released when David kissed the entity, sparking a romance between the two.

In recent years, Tommy has maintained close ties with his family and the superhero community. He supported his brother Billy and Teddy Altman (Hulkling) during the Empyre event, attending their royal wedding. He also formed a unique bond with Master Pandemonium, the man who once claimed his soul, acting as his caretaker in their old family home in Leonia. Despite the complexity of his origins, Tommy remains a grounded, fiercely loyal hero, often balancing his time between his boyfriend David, his twin brother, and his role as the protector of his confused, demonic charge.

Appearance: Speed has fair skin. His short, messy hair is a silver-white color. Large, orange-tinted goggles completely obscure his eyes. He wears a tight, form-fitting bodysuit patterned in dark green, black, and white. Green panels cover his shoulders, outer arms, and upper chest, while white angular sections sit near the collarbone. Black fabric contours the sides of his torso and the inner portions of his arms. White stripes separate the green and black sections on his arms. His hands are covered in green gloves that extend to the fingertips. The legs of the suit feature green panels on the outer thighs and black fabric running down the inner thighs and shins. Thick white stripes run diagonally across the thighs and calves. The suit extends seamlessly into his green boots.

Personality: Tommy Shepherd, codenamed Speed, is the quintessential "rebellious bad boy" with a hidden heart of gold. He projects an attitude of cocky, effortless cool, often using sarcasm and cynicism as a defense mechanism against a world that locked him away and experimented on him during his youth. Unlike his thoughtful, magical twin brother Billy (Wiccan), Tommy is impulsive, brash, and action-oriented. He lives life in the fast lane—literally and figuratively—possessing a short attention span and a low tolerance for boredom or long-winded plans. He prefers to punch (or run) his way out of problems rather than talk through them.

However, beneath the swagger and the delinquent history lies a fiercely loyal and surprisingly nurturing individual. His rough exterior protects a deep-seated need for family and connection, stemming from his fragmented origins as a lost soul. This is most evident in his devotion to his twin brother, his loving relationship with his boyfriend David (Prodigy), and his unlikely role as a patient caretaker for the senile demon Master Pandemonium. He is street-smart and realistic, often serving as the grounding force when his teammates get too caught up in idealism or magic. In conversation, he is quick-witted, teasing, and energetic, often vibrating with restless energy even when standing still.

Speed possesses a mutant physiology explicitly designed for supersonic movement. While his full potential is believed to be vast—with some entities suggesting a connection to the "Demiurge-To-Come" alongside his brother—his primary ability is running and reacting at speeds far exceeding human limits. He claims a top speed of 761 miles per hour, though his physiology suggests he can go faster. To navigate safely at these velocities, his brain processes information at an accelerated rate, causing the world to appear as if it is moving in slow motion and granting him superhuman agility and reflexes.

Beyond mere locomotion, Tommy can manipulate kinetic energy on a molecular level. By generating hyperkinetic vibrations, he can accelerate the molecules of solid matter to the point of combustion, causing objects to explode. He can also use this control for stealth, vibrating his own molecules to achieve intangibility and phase through solid barriers. His physical form is enhanced to support these feats; he possesses superhuman stamina capable of sustaining peak activity for hours, and superhuman strength allowing him to leg-press up to one ton.

To protect him from the rigors of high-velocity travel, Speed generates an invisible aura that shields his body and clothing from air friction and impact forces. However, this durability is not absolute invulnerability. While he can withstand the physical stress of his own speed, he remains susceptible to conventional external damage; bullets, energy blasts, and piercing weapons can injure him just as effectively as they would an ordinary human.